The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-02-03
TINE OLD sLEioH

There, mother. old speckled has rcsnfn'
I'll thanks II Last, holding mp plump
sbile ess ,ha, would do credit 70 any
queen oi the pOnliry yard.
Well, alters ssid that tina! ben Was
thankiai for past mercics. though yonf
father would laugh At nae every time ! said
so, Liddy Stevens has Jest been here;
abe wanted TO see yon. but you vas gone
20 long thought you must be down 10
Mis- Peunells.
Yes, I met her .. ,be came through the
yard.
She didnt tell you the news. did shes
She told me Will Marstou had returned
from California
II does beat all bout ths. boy seems
jest like the piece o poetry yoa read some
times about the feller thas went of and
stayed so many year, and then come back
and took bis mother out O. the poor house
--caly It's The father this time. "Ths
very worst of the descon's siH, Il called
MIN, ava tnAt jest Nnat w"
/ never believed he had anything to do
With that scrape down TO the village. Lad,
dy says he's terribly rich. and is going 10
take care OF bis father, the deacon must
be glad, for guess he's stayed with Caleb
most ss long as be can comfortably. They
say he's going to marry Sam Mlliers dar-
ter Ruth. Yon see when Bob Miller went
out there for his health Will found him
ont and done little kindnesses for him,
and when be WAS too sick to write home
Will wrote for him. Part o the time
Sam WAS sick hisself, so Ruth answered
the letters, aud he fell in love with her 10
that way. There didn't anybody but the
deacon and the Millers know that he was
coming. Sam drove down to the depot
and carried him up TO Caleb's. Guess
they was some surprised TO see him.
There is no knowing how long Mrs. Al
len would have gone on, her tongue keep
ing time to the busy click clack OF her
needles had not Mr.. Aliens step sounded
on the walk.
Lizabeth never talked much, and the
mother did not mind her silence tonight.
| A slight culver about the sensitive mouth
alone told how keenly the words were felt,
and the sigh OF relief which escaped at the
| welcome sound OF her fathers voice was
| lost in the noise made as he entered,
stamping the snow from his boots.
Why, father, does it snow? | ben so
busy talking hsint thought to look out
OF the window for some time.
Yes, it's begun to come down right
smart; shouldn't wonder II it was good
sleighing by tomorrow.
You don't think it's going 10 be long
Storm
Mrs. Aliens face had an anxious express
sion as she asked the question, for long
storm meant days Of exile for her.
No, shll be surprised II it don't clear
up by tomorrow noon SOS 'Lizabeth and
| can take a ride TO the village; tbatll
be treat, won't it darter? and the smile
that lighted up his daughters face pleased
him better than any answer could have
DONE
Guess I'll get the old sleigh ont. Ben
Smart's ben down to the city, and he says
he saw lots jest like it; it's FIVE years since
| sent jim TO the village for the now one,
aud it's never ben ont since I'm glad It's
come into fashion agin, for l never enjoy
cd myself complete in the new one-al-
ways felt little above my station, and
farmer Aliens laugh rang through the
old sitting room at the fitness OF his re-
mark.
Well, Lizabeth, you get supper ON the
table, and I'll tell father the news while
he warns his feet He's been down in the
wood lot sll the afternoon and haint
heurd nothing OF the strange things thai
has ben happening mp here.
Having arranged things to her sstisiac-
tiou, the stockings Mrs. Allen had drop
ped on the entrance OF her husband con :
tinued TO grow under her deft fingers,
while the news lost none OF its interest
with repetition.
That night after Lizabeth had taken her
candle and said good night, Mr.. Allen sat
for some time looking at the fire. then
suddenly broke out.
i Mother, don't you think Lizabeth looks
kind o peaked lately2 Then she don't
sem TO eat as much rs nsual.
i There, father, you're always frettlne
'oout tha, girl. don't know what you'd
done II you'd had six like your brother
Jonathan.
didn't know but the news about Will
gbt effect her some. You know they
, used 70 think so much OF each other.
Msssy, father that was years and year
ago. when they were children. Liza
beths too sensible girl to lei feller like
Will Marston disurb her. When he stop
pei writing to her. she gave him up
lShe's worked hard to. day. and goot
nights rest will bring ber round.
There seemed nothing more to be said
so he took light and proceeded to max
everything safe for the night, but long al
ter bis good wife was asleep, he lay swak
thinking Of the pale face his daughter ha'
lifted for the good. nigh, kiss.
Iizabeib was not likely to get th
, strength her mo,ber thought from night
rest. Until the first rays OF morning light
/, cd mp the east she lay thinking OF the oil
days, and living them over again. Sh
could not remember the time when sb
and Will had no, seemed to belong to esc
ether. When they we're children be hs
drawn her to and from school on bis han
sled, saved her the largest half Of his sp